"In anything we do, it is important to have a backup plan. Nothing could emphasize this more. There are so many things that can happen beyond our expectations and when we don't have a ready alternative course of action, we could be easily knocked off balance. Online businessmen are, of course, not excused. In fact, they could be one of those who probably have no choice but to heed this advice. An online businessman is someone whose profit depends on a bunch of wires which can falter anytime and often without warning. Hence, having a contingency plan can save anyone who just can't afford to go one minute offline. And in terms of site accessibility to online clients, a contingency plan can only mean one thing to an online businessmen - backup web hosting.

A web host is responsible for making a website reachable by people. When the hosting is unstable, it can seriously hamper operations because then, the site goes offline every now and then and the potential for sales during this period of instability is greatly reduced. Thus, for any businessman who lives on the web, it is crucial to have a web host that can assure the least possible downtime.

Then again, nothing are infallible and even the most technically superior companies can be prone to downtime that is beyond a tolerable level. Hence, it is important for an online business owner to find ways to cushion this scenario.

One strategy used by smart webmasters is diversifying their hosting service sources. For major websites, it is recommended that they be hosted by at least two companies so that when one is experiencing technical problems, there is a backup host that can keep the site online. Sites used for development, backup projects and other minor purposes may be backed up with a reseller hosting plan wherein the owner pays only one monthly fee for all sites under a single host.

Some have all their sites hosted by different companies each but this scenario tends to be complicated. Yet it should never be an option to simply have one host as this could be very critical when the host bogs down. Those who choose to sign up their sites for a reseller account will enjoy the convenience of paying only one service provider and the cost savings it offers. On the other hand, when major websites are entered under a reseller account, customer service is not always guaranteed. Reseller plan holders are generally left on their own and usually have a lot more complicated yet often unnecessary features to deal be familiar with.

In the end, it's all a balancing act between getting a regular single hosting plan for each website or having everything under a single reseller account. When you have too many web hosts, the scenario tends to be complicated. When you only have one or a few, you can be seriously vulnerable.

If you simply want to have the hosting plan that is most appropriate for you, understand the nature of your business and transactions as well as the storage and bandwidth that will allow you to conduct a decent business online. Remember that what's best for you depends on your needs and financial capability. It doesn't have to be the most expensive or recommended by a greater number of people. After all, you don't have the same needs. So get only the one that actually suits your needs.

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